California avocado season is gradually starting. “We have been packing very light volume for a couple of weeks,” says Gary Clevenger with Freska Produce. “Most volume won’t come for about a month or so,” Clevenger added. “Growers usually wait for the highest price point to start picking. That point is not quite there, but some growers have started as prices are pretty good right now. This is typically the time for maintenance picking to give trees less stress and size picking to get larger fruit off the trees now while they are priced right.”
Rains cleaned up fruit
“Quality is very good with very nice fruit,” shared Clevenger. Rains have cleaned up the fruit and the avocados now have a very nice shine to them. “With the amount of rain we’ve had this winter, the salts in the ground were pushed down somewhat and fruit should be a size up this year with less fruit in the tree.”
California avocados usually stay in the Western United States. This year in particular Clevenger expects the fruit to stay local as the 2017 crop will be smaller than usual. “There won’t be much need to push fruit outside California.” Local retailers and customers like California avocados as the fruit is fresher having been grown locally, packed locally and distributed locally. “This year, it may just be a California thing.”
For more information:
Gary Clevenger
Freska Produce
Tel: 805-650-1040